122 
ELEPHANT. 
the next enclosure, the leader enters, and the rest 
follow: the gate is instantly shut by people who 
are stationed on a small scaffold immediately above 
it, and strongly barricaded, fires are lighted, and 
the same discordant din made and continued, till 
the herd has passed through another gateway into 
the last enclosure, or rajecote, the gate of which is 
secured in the same manner as the former was. 
The elephants being now completely surrounded 
on all sides, and perceiving no outlet through 
which they can escape, appear desperate, and in 
their fury advance frequently to the ditch, in order 
to break down the palisade, inflating their trunks, 
screaming louder and shriller than any trumpet, 
and sometimes grumbling like the hollow murmur 
of distant thunder ; but wherever they make an at- 
tack, they are opposed by lighted fires, and by the 
noise and triumphant shouts of the hunters. As 
they must remain some time in this enclosure, care 
is always taken to have part of the ditch filled with 
water, which is supplied by a small stream, either 
natural, or conducted through an artificial chan- 
nel from some neighbouring reservoir. The ele- 
phants have recourse to this water to quench their 
thirst, and cool themselves after their fatigues, by 
sucking the water into their trunks, and then 
squirting it over every part of their bodies. While 
they remain in this enclosure they continue sulky, 
and seem to meditate their escape: but the hunters 
build huts, and form an encampment as it were 
around them, close to the palisade ; watchmen are 
